This episode contains an in-depth interview with Gráinne Teggart. Gráinne joined Amnesty International in 2009 and is the Deputy Director of the human rights organisation in Northern Ireland. She has lead Amnesty’s campaigning and strategic litigation on abortion law reform and worked on a multitude of issues including human trafficking and legacy issues relating to the conflict in Northern Ireland. Gráinne is a Trustee of the Integrated Education Fund as well as Informing Choices NI.
Gráinne reflects on the Good Friday Agreement 25 years on; her time at school and views on integrated education; the positive and negative impact of social media; working alongside women who had been directly affected by Northern Ireland’s near total abortion ban; campaigning for abortion reform when she was pregnant; Repeal of the 8th amendment; the decriminalisation of abortion in Northern Ireland; and her aspirations for sexual and reproductive health going forward.
If you would like support around a sexual health issue you can call the Sexual Health Helpline on 028 9031 6100.
Useful links
https://informingchoicesni.org/pregnancy-choices-counselling
https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/articles/abortion-services
Resources
UK Supreme Court judgment in the matter of an application by the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission
High Court judgment in the matter of an application by Sarah Jane Ewart
News articles
A Belfast Telegraph article regarding a visit to Northern Ireland from a Labour Party delegation hosted by Amnesty International UK and FPA NI
An Irish News article regarding a visit to Northern Ireland from a Conservative Party delegation hosted by Amnesty International UK and FPA NI
A Guardian article regarding the passage of a Motion by Belfast City Council in support of the decriminalisation of abortion
A BBC News article regarding the decriminalisation of abortion featuring Denise Phelan
A BBC News article regarding the outcome of a judicial review taken by Sarah Ewart
Video
A video produced by Amnesty International UK regarding the decriminalisation of abortion in Northern Ireland